SIGINT - Signals Intelligence

The Technical Department provides the PRC with a wide range of
SIGINT capabilities. The Chinese maintain, by far, the most extensive
SIGINT capability of any nation in the Asia/Pacific region. The Chinese
operate several dozen SIGINT ground stations deployed throughout
China. They monitor signals from Russia, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea,
India, and Southeast Asia. Signals from U.S. military units located in the
region are of significant interest to these monitoring stations. A large
SIGINT facility at Hainan Island is principally concerned with monitoring
U.S. naval activities in the South China Sea. The Chinese appear to be
developing a spaceborne ELINT system that is mounted on their
photoreconnaissance and communications satellites. There is no indication
at this point that this capability presents a significant threat to U.S. forces in
the region. The Chinese actively monitor international communications
satellites from SATCOM intercept facilities on Hainan Island, and outside
Beijing. Additionally, the Chinese have developed a series of SIGINT
collection vessels that monitor U.S. military operations and exercises in the
Asia/Pacific region.